Coffee friends, let's chat about decaf pod quality because the difference between a good one and a not-so-great one is stark.
So, it doesn’t matter if you are brewing your espresso in a café or a Nespresso machine, the fundamentals are the same. It's all about finely ground coffee beans, pressed through hot water under pressure for a rich, full-bodied, aromatic shot.
For a café single espresso, you’ll get about 7 grams of coffee, and if you're into lattes and flat whites, you’ll tend to be given a double shot, which is about 14 to 18 grams.
The Nespresso-compatible pod however, contains only 5-5.8 grams of coffee, which is all that can be squeezed into that convenient little capsule. It’s a lot to ask from a small measure of coffee, but these machines are designed to help make your daily coffee habit a little easier, quicker, and cleaner … which in my opinion, they infinitely do. Huzzah.
But … can we expect a good quality cup of coffee from a pod?
The answer is YES!
Pods can do a great espresso pour. We know not to expect café quality but pods do deliver quality with the convenience of a button, and at a fraction of the price. You should look for a deep dark-to-medium brown viscous liquid with a thick, creamy crema on top. And of course, it isn’t just looks. Your coffee should be fresh, have a great aroma that swirls through the air during the pour, and taste good!
Pods are not created equal however, and when it comes to decaf pods, my personal experience of finding quality coffee was frustrating. I wasted so much money on shonky, barely drinkable decafs. The market is awash with poor quality, badly processed coffee that doesn’t take the decaf drinker seriously.
Roasting decaf is not the same as roasting regular coffee beans. The decaffeination process results in denser beans with a higher moisture content which means temperature and airflow need to be adapted to ensure maximum taste.
AND there’s getting a good espresso pull from 5 grams of coffee in a pod. Understanding the process now gives me an appreciation as to why I was finding it so hard to find a good decaf pod. In fact, after speaking with our roasters and understanding some of the technical challenges, I think it’s a miracle that decaf pods can taste this damned good.
Our partners have spent the time perfecting their decaf roast for Nespresso-compatible pods because they care about their decaf product and drinkers… and I for one am so appreciative they have.
So, if you’re not into watery, disappointing decaf (seriously, who is?) then you can trust all the roasters who we’ve partnered with. We’ve put in the heavy-tasting work to ensure that you’re only getting the best, the freshest, the most delicious decaf on the market.
We’d like to raise a cup to our roasters, thank you for your dedication to deliciousness.